We are helping them with their vision-not forcefully imposing our own. As time moves forward they hope to see a society that understands, supports, and cares for all of its people, regardless of HIV status or LGBTQ+ Identity. Read more about the Samugam Foundation on their website: http://www.samugam.org. As an intentional community located in Tamil Nadu on the Bay of Bengal, Auroville is a place to experiment and bring forth innovative ideas working towards all aspects of sustainable development. The citizens of Auroville attempt to answer this question with the creation of their innovative city in the South of India. Pondicherryâs neighbour Auroville wears the tag of Indiaâs first experiential town, a major centre for volunteers interested in healthcare, education, women empowerment, child development, gender equality, organic farming and more. In fact, Eternal Divers may find that time and money are lost in their efforts; however, they feel that what India and the earth may gain is far more important if the sea and its life can be preserved through this tactic. Mason listens to the Eternal Divers presentation. They currently work with a variety of professionals and volunteers including physicians, advocates, academics and researchers. It was hard to take and almost overshadowed the fun playful 20 minutes with Rubini. For example, one told how in her group they are “each other’s biggest cheerleaders” and that if one woman opens a microbusiness, the group all comes on the first day to be her first customers. The purpose of the assignment was to take photographs of plastics in their point of view by keeping in mind the three questions mentioned above. As we strolled around, the students entered different shops and interacted with people explaining to them what they were doing and why they were taking photos of plastics. The Infinity Foundation decided to support a unit of Auroville called the Auroville Action Group. They have managed to donate desk, chairs and help build part of the new administration block. Because this is an attempt to find better ways to live.”. It has successfully shared, imparted and learnt from its collaborations with knowledge partners within the architects fraternity in India and abroad. When Eternal divers first began, it was just another diving company and they wondered how to set themselves apart and make better use of their skills, talents and location. According to staff, approximately 130 people were served in 2003 whereas about 1233 people were served last year. So far, many of our questions remain unanswered. To discover more about Auroville, see the Auroville website at www.auroville.org. To start our photography hunt, I divided them in groups, two girls, Deepa (13 years old), Roshini (13 years old) and two boys, Chandru (14 years old) and Chander (13 years old). Karthik didn’t like that his children were idle, he said that it created bad energy and aggressive behavior within the child. The priorities and values of Aurovillians is admirable and desirable in my view as someone from a Western upbringing striving to work in International Development, however is this microscopic laboratory a replicable model throughout India and other communities in the Global South? The organization has self-help group sessions for its members who reside in the local villages. The gathering of change-makers at the Udavi campus in Auroville.Straight after New Yearâs Eve, a four-day gathering of change-makers from across India was held at the Udavi campus in Auroville. I kept pushing questions about how/if microfinance had raised their living standards and what kind of income micro businesses generated in relation to other jobs – but after awhile my translator Segar laughingly told me that this topic didn’t seem to be what they were most interested in. This shows the community demand for services continues to be necessary and to grow. For example, a fisherman may be more concerned with how much money he can earn this week, as opposed to the concept that he may not be able to earn any money in a few years if the fish are either overfished or die off because of pollution. As newcomers, almost half of our team attempts to better understand the idealistic city by posing a lot of questions as student researchers. While these policy changes are steps in the right direction, the staff at the Puducherry branch of Sahodran informed AUP students that there was still no policy to promote and protect LGBTQ+ peoples in cases of discrimination and definitely no marriage or family law in place for LGBTQ+ couples. Working with children in Brazil and establishing a genuine relationship was always something I felt passionate about. The pointless loss of life and the pollution caused by humans is unacceptable. In addition to the ghost nets, sewage, overfishing and erosion are all concerns for Joni and Tracy and their team. In fact, it is not only our group that has been trying to find answers to our questions about Auroville, nowadays Aurovillians are challenging themselves with the same questions as well. Auroville belongs to nobody in particular. Furthermore, through the education and awareness programs that PSDF conducts each month with the SHGs, the women bond even more by talking about issues that are often taboo, such as menstruation, domestic violence, dowry issues, and child abuse. between the village Auroville, th, e government an, d other NGOs Paalam. She was one of them and I felt very helpless. Eternal Divers is based just outside of the Auroville on the Bay of Bengal. However, it is hard to deny the power of knowledge and intelligence that are invested in this city. The benefits of behavior change are often long-term rewards that seem less important in the moment. As they only worked with men in the beginning, they decided on the name Sahodran, which means brother in the local language, Tamil. AUP Sustainable Development Practicum in Auroville, India. I've been directly in contact with Jon Leary (here his personal website) which has introduced me to others NGO's⦠I was struck by how both of the women that I interviewed more intensively really focused in on the social/non-economic impact of the SHGs and microfinance plans. It is only through the education and the collaboration with locals that behavior change can occur. This is because the “other” confirms what the self is not. Although we didn’t speak the same language we communicated through gestures, pointing at things and facial expressions and hand signs. The women see that they are not alone in their problems and can brainstorm ways to help each other or encourage each other to bring large issues to the Family Counseling Center at PSDF. Think of more and we are sure Pondicherry will have that as well. While I waited for Shankar to confirm, I had a delicious lunch at Frites with my classmate Imani and later coffee and brownie at Marc’s café, an indispensable place to drink coffee while in Auroville. She is 6 years old and wore a beautiful blue dress, my favorite color. Too many humans take the sea and all she has to offer for granted. Some collectivist societies openly recognize that the notion of the self is one that cannot exist independently without the other. The work the Sahodran is taking on is not easy, but it is immeasurably beneficial not just for the LGBTQ+ community, but the society at large. The sari she was wearing that day was made by a member of her SHG, and she said that she drops that fact into conversation as much as possible to get the word out. QuikrEasy connect you to a network of qualified and trained NGOs & Charitable Trusts (NGOs and Charitable Trusts) providers in Pondicherry. AVAG’s model for its members recognizes that multiple factors contribute to the self reaching its highest potential. Sistri members are contributing to the society instead of a hand out thus significantly increasing self-esteem. For areas that are seismically vulnerable, Auroville is developing and implementing types of reinforced earth block that are as safe as any âmodernâ form of construction. The breath-taking sight of the waves crashing against the shore lined with French buildings in Pondicherry, and the quiet, lush-green landscape of Auroville, a township promoting global oneness â set the perfect stage for learning, volunteering, and adventure. I’m thankful that the women resisted the way my line of questioning/interviewing was going and instead shared what they really cared about – it’s difficult to be sensitive to that on my own when going through a translator, so I feel lucky to have gained this insight despite my preconceived notions about how microfinance worked. Auroville, tucked away in a corner of south India, can give you a full experience of what itâs like to work on a forest farm as a volunteer and live your life in the wilderness, even if itâs only for a while. We are trying to understand if Auroville truly stands for what it aims to be. The next day, I got all my gear, which included three disposable cameras, a laptop, water bottle, my journal, and a charger and headed for Kulapalyum Road. Auroville will be the place of an unending education, of constant progress, and a youth that never ages. In order for Auroville to keep evolving, individuals would need to continue to learn and share from each other. In the past, they received donations from the government and organisations like Rotary International Club. Auroville, an international community located in Tamil-Nadu, India, is an ambitious and unique experiment in sustainable living. 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